Jonathan Michael Lovitz (born July 21, 1957) is an American actor, comedian, and singer. He is best known as a cast member of Saturday Night Live from 1985 to 1990. He starred as Jay Sherman in The Critic and has appeared in numerous other television series and films, including 20 episodes of The Simpsons.
His film credits include roles in Mr. Destiny (1990), Mom and Dad Save the World (1992), Loaded Weapon 1 (1993), Trapped in Paradise (1994), Little Nicky (2000), 3000 Miles to Graceland (2001), The Producers (2005), Grown Ups 2 (2013), and Killing Hasselhoff (2017).
Voices[]
- Queen Gabnidine
- Additional Voices
Early Life[]
Lovitz was born on July 21, 1957, in the Tarzana neighborhood of Los Angeles, to Harold and Barbara Lovitz. His family is Jewish; they emigrated from Romania, Hungary, and Russia. His paternal grandfather, Feivel Ianculovici, left Romania around 1914. After arriving in the United States he Americanized his name to Phillip Lovitz. In college, Lovitz was friends with David Kudrow, brother of Lisa Kudrow, and went on a backpacking trip across Europe and Israel with him in 1978. Lovitz graduated with a bachelor's degree in drama from the University of California, Irvine in 1979 and then studied acting with Tony Barr at the Film Actors Workshop. He became a member of the Groundlings comedy troupe, where he befriended his future SNL castmate Phil Hartman.